Ex-L.A. teacher pleads not guilty to lewd acts

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A former teacher whose arrest sparked a scandal at an elementary school that led to the replacement of all of its teachers pleaded not guilty Tuesday to committing lewd acts with 23 children in his classroom.

Mark Berndt, 61, remained jailed on $23 million bail. He was the first of two teachers arrested within a week on molestation charges involving youths at Miramonte Elementary School

Martin Springer, 49, previously pleaded not guilty after he was charged with committing three lewd acts on one girl in 2009. He is free on $300,000 bail.

Former students have sued, alleging other molestation incidents.

Berndt was arrested in January and charged with committing lewd acts on children as young as 6. Hundreds of photographs were found of children with blindfolds and tape over their mouths.

Some photos depicted children being fed a white liquid which authorities allege was the teacher's semen.

Berndt was ordered back to court on March 28, when a date will be set for his preliminary hearing.

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